Madhavi Gaur
October 09, 2024 01:25
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UPSC exam pattern 2024 is provided here in detailed for Prelims and Mains. Check out the UPSC exam pattern, marking scheme, and negative marking here.
UPSC exam pattern 2025 assesses the academic expertise and answer presentation skills of candidates. It is crucial for aspirants to thoroughly understand the UPSC exam pattern for both the Prelims and Mains.
The UPSC exam pattern provides clarity on the number of questions and negative marking scheme. The exam consists of three phases: Prelims, Mains, and Personality Test. It is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the UPSC exam pattern to navigate the exam successfully.
Let us look into the detailed UPSC exam pattern 2025 for Prelims and Mains to develop a better understanding of the exam as a whole!
To excel in the year-long cycle of the UPSC IAS Exam, it is crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of the complete UPSC Exam pattern, which includes the prelims, mains, and interviews. Here, you can find the complete details of the UPSC pattern for all stages of the exam and UPSC marks distribution.
| Stage | Mode of Exam | Paper to be Attempted | Total Marks | Nature of Exam |
| Stage 1: Prelims | MCQ | Paper 1: General Studies
Paper 2: CSAT |
Paper 1: 200
Paper 2: 200 |
Qualifying |
| Stage 2: Mains | Descriptive Papers | Paper A: Indian Language
Paper B: English |
Paper A: 300
Paper B: 300 |
Qualifying in Nature |
| Essay
General Studies 1 General Studies 2 General Studies 3 General Studies 4 Optional Paper 1 Optional Paper 2 |
250 X 7 = 1750 | Marks Considered for Merit list | ||
| Stage 3: Interview | Oral Interview | – | 275 | Marks added to Mains marks to prepare the merit list |
UPSC Mains Exam Pattern consists of a total of 9 descriptive papers, with two papers being qualifying in nature, four papers for General Studies, and two papers for optional subjects.
Candidates have the flexibility to choose an optional subject for the Mains exam based on their preference and expertise.
Paper A and Paper B are qualifying papers, while the remaining papers are considered for merit. Candidates must score a minimum of 25% in each paper to be eligible for the final merit list. There are also penalty marks for UPSC Mains that are followed by violations of the writing instructions set by UPSC. Check out the exam pattern and UPSC Mains marks distribution
| Paper Number | Paper Name | Nature of Paper | Subjects | Marks | Duration |
| Paper A | Indian Language | Qualifying | Compulsory Indian Language from 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution. | 300 | 3 hrs |
| Paper B | English | Qualifying | English Language | 300 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 1 | Essay | Considered for Merit Calculation | Candidates are required to write two essays, covering a broad range of subjects, including: Socio-political, Economic issues, Environmental issues, International relations, Science and technology, Philosophical topics, etc. | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 2 | General Studies 1 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Geography
History Indian Heritage and Culture Social Issues |
250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 3 | General Studies 2 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Polity and Governance
Constitution Social Justice International Relations |
250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 4 | General Studies 3 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Economy and Growth
Science and Technology Environment and Ecology Disaster Management Internal Security |
250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 5 | General Studies 4 | Considered for Merit Calculation | Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 6 | Optional Paper 1 | Considered for Merit Calculation | NA | 250 | 3 hrs |
| Paper 7 | Optional Paper 2 | Considered for Merit Calculation | NA | 250 | 3 hrs |
PS: Candidates from Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur, Nagaland, and candidates with hearing impairment are exempted from appearing in Paper-A.
The UPSC Prelims exam pattern consists of two papers: General Studies Paper 1 and General Studies Paper 2 (also known as CSAT). Both papers are conducted on the same day.
GS Paper 2 / CSAT is a qualifying paper, where candidates need to score a minimum of 33% marks to qualify. Familiarize yourself with the UPSC CSAT syllabus to ensure success in this paper. Check out the UPSC prelims exam pattern and UPSC prelims marks distribution:
| Type | General Studies Paper I | CSAT |
| Questions | 100 Objective Type | 80 Objective Type |
| Marks | 200 Marks | 200 Marks |
| Negative Marking | +2 Marks/Question and -0.66 Negative Marks/Question | +2.5 Marks /Question and -0.83 Negative Marks/Question |
| Duration Of Exam | 2 Hours | 2 Hours |
| Qualifying Marks | Cut-Off List | Minimum 33% |
| Languages | English and Hindi | English and Hindi. |
| Syllabus |
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There is a provision of negative marking in the IAS exam pattern for the prelims exam, where 1/3 of the marks allotted to a question will be deducted for an incorrect response.
| Exam | Total no. of Questions | Total Marks in UPSC Prelims | Marking Scheme in UPSC Prelims – Negative Marks |
| General Studies-1 | 100 | 2 X 100=200 | -0.66 |
| General Studies-2 (CSAT) | 80 | 2.5 X 80=200 | -0.83 |
The UPSC exam pattern includes a personality test or interview as the final round before the final merit list is announced.
| UPSC Syllabus for Interview | Not Specified |
| Duration | 20-30 minutes |
| Total Marks | 275 |
| Location | Union Public Service Commission Head Office, New Delhi |
| Dress Code | Formal Attire |
Over the years, the UPSC exam pattern has undergone some changes. Here are the key changes made in specific years.
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